GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Gettysburg College's women's soccer team has improved its record in each of the last three seasons and 2010 should be no different with a strong returning cast and a slew of talented newcomers.

In each of Head Coach Matt Garrett's first three seasons, the women's soccer program has improved its winning percentage. Last year, the squad started on a hot streak before a late-season letdown, but still managed a 9-7-1 overall record and sixth-place showing in the Centennial Conference.

“Every year we're playing much better,” said Garrett, who enters into his fourth campaign with a 22-24-8 career record. “We're much closer to the level where we want to play. We're miles more competitive than last year or the year before.”

Thirteen letterwinners returned for the Bullets, including 10 with starting experience. While experience will be a key element in determining playing time, it won't be the sole factor. Talent could override experience and there is no shortage of the former in Garrett's incoming freshmen class.

“We have a very good freshmen class coming in,” noted the coach. “We have two or three players competing for every position. Hopefully that will lead to more competition and better performances on the field.”

Defensively, the Bullets have been solid all-around, sporting a collective goals against average under one during Garrett's tenure. The attack has been a different story, however, averaging just over one goal in its last 54 matches. Garrett doesn't expect any one player to make a significant difference in the offensive scheme this season, but he does expect an increase in production.

“I don't think we have those one or two players some schools have that will score 15 goals,” said Garrett, “but I think we'll score a lot more goals throughout the team.”

The team lost its top two point producers to graduation, leaving six players that scored a goal last season. Sophomore Casey Attanasio (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) heads the list after producing five goals and one assist during her freshman campaign, leading to All-Centennial Conference Honorable Mention selection.

Senior Jordann Smak (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) and sophomore Mackenzie Cobb (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey) appeared in every match last fall and are proven scorers out of the midfield. A number of freshmen have already displayed a knack for the goal and will be line for starting spots on the attack.

With newcomers filling holes in the front, a number of upperclassmen will resume key roles in the midfield. Juniors Sam Hellerman (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) and Sara Montague (Newark, Del./St. Mark's) are both two-year starters and Garrett expects the pair to be leaders in the midfield unit. Sophomore Lindsey Lyon (Hatfield, Pa./Pennridge) was one of only two freshmen to start every match last year and is set for another campaign in the same spot.

Gettysburg is assured of another stingy defense in 2010 with the likes of senior Sarah Yeager (Westport, Conn./Staples), junior Lauren Johnson (Morristown, N.J./Morristown-Beard), and sophomore Suzy Englot (Fayetteville, N.Y./Manlius Pebble Hill) returning to the pitch. Yeager is coming off her first all-conference selection and will be the leader of the Bullets' back line.

Junior Allie Rivera (Wading River, N.Y./Shoreham Wading River) was impressive in her debut season in between the pipes in 2010, notching a 1.04 GAA, .792 save percentage, and seven shutouts. She has the starting job all but wrapped up again with sophomore Katie Burke (Kinnelon, N.J./Kinnelon) waiting in the wings.

Gettysburg will be challenged throughout its 2010 schedule with 11 of its 18 opponents posting winning records last fall. Five of those squads reached the national tournament, including Centennial Conference frontrunners Johns Hopkins University and Muhlenberg College. The Bullets meet both of those teams at Clark Field this fall, battling the Blue Jays at the midpoint of the season on Oct. 9 and ending the regular season campaign against the Mules on Oct. 30.

Garrett admits it will be difficult to determine who should start with so many capable players, but in the end it will be the team's attitude and focus that will lead to victory or defeat.

“We're focused on being a better team every single day. We want to make sure we stick to our core values. If we continue to do that, we're going to do well.”

“We've got a clear identity of how we want to play and how we want to act on and off the field,” he added. “That's something we've never really had before. We're not just playing soccer to win; we're playing winning soccer.”

Gettysburg kicks off the 2010 campaign with a pair of night contests on the friendly confines of Clark Field. The Bullets tackle Susquehanna University on Saturday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m. before facing Ramapo College the following day at the same time. Eight non-conference matches fill the slate with the 10-match Centennial Conference campaign getting underway against Bryn Mawr College on Sept. 18 at 1 p.m.